Kai and I took the kids down to our grad school alma mater, UNC, this past weekend to go to the Tarheels basketball game and walk Tia around the campus. The reality that Tia is just over 2 years away from heading to college is crazy. How is this even possible?! The mental count down is ON. How many holidays do we have left together? How many spring breaks all together as a family?...
A big part of my adventure to cross Norway is the journey to get there- the 12 months leading up to my departure from the border of Sweden. My number one job, besides fundraising, is to get my body ready. My friend Jonathan Terrell who did the World Marathon Challenge introduced me to his ultra-fit trainer, Tiffany Nesfield. Tiffany is an inspiration from the minute you meet her: besides being in incredible shape,...
I’m going to Norway in 6 weeks! All part of making sure I don’t get over there next winter and bomb this thing, I am going to do some reconnaissance: meet my guide, do some skiing, and meet some PKU families. I was not completely sure how the Norwegians would respond to the notion of a random American PKU mom skiing across their country to honor Dr. Følling and raise money for PKU...
Day 2: In full disclosure, one of my besties from college and her boyfriend also came out to Vail last night. This is a “work” trip, but I’m never going to pass up a chance to have some laughs with my best friends. Lesson here: Alcohol + short time at elevation + cross-country-skiing-into-full-dehydration-and-until-you-wanna-die is not a great combo!! Plus I’m sore- all over body aching SORE! With that as my backdrop going in to Day...
One little fact that I had long forgotten when I decided to do this fundraising project is that Nordic skiing is HARD, REALLY FLIPPIN’ HARD. It looks peaceful, slow moving, almost like a meditative experience in nature. Imagine lingering in wintery forests and watching small winter creatures make tracks while you quietly slide by. But, NO, that’s not how it is, at least the type of skiing I’m doing and will be doing...
Hi, this is my first blog post, and writing for another’s recreational consumption is not something I do. I’m nervous and I feel vulnerable, but here goes….this is for PKU, and every parent knows the feeling- nothing stands between you and your children’s health and ability to thrive. Our precious newborn baby girl, Tia, was diagnosed at 3 days old. I remember a few things after the moment we were told. I threw the...